It took me 3 days to watch this movie with a running time
of 177 minutes.
But I am glad I stuck it out cos it did eventually pay off
in the end.
I hope some years down the line I can say the same of
my pension fund. More about that in some other review
category.
As Abe Lincoln put it so neatly for us,
’’Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test
a man’s character, give him power. ’’
This movie is all about the power that the strong exercise on
the weak.
It is set in Dogville, ’’ a small town not far from here’’
a small town in America during the Great Depression.
The mastery of Lars von Trier can be seen in the set design
itself. There is only one set which is a stage
with only the outlines of the streets and houses of Dogville.
We see some furniture. There are no walls or
doors to sheild what happens behind them. Everything and everyone
is transparent.
Into this town comes running, Grace (Nicole Kidman) escaping
from some gangsters. She runs into the Thomas Edison (Paul Bettany)
who is a budding writer plus the towns barometer and who gives
regular lectures to the town folk on moral topics.
Tom convinces the townfolk to help Grace and she will work for each of them
a half hour every day in exchange for their kindness.
So it goes on till the police and later the FBI come looking for Grace.
The townfolk demand more from Grace to shield her since now the risk
has increased.
And so begins her persecution where the menfolk rape her and the women
incensed by the sexual activity become increasingly hostile.
In between this the hypocritical Tom tries to get his pound of flesh and
at the same time keeping the townsfolk at bay.
But salvation comes when Grace’s secret is revealed and her salvation
leads to the towns damnation.
The film is exhaustingly long but very interesting if you can last the
course.
Nicole Kidmans performance is good and so is the vastly under rated
Paul Bettany
If you want to see a good movie and are patient enough this is it.
And before going more words from the wise
If power was an illusion, wasn’t weakness necessarily one also?
Lois McMaster Bujold, A Civil Campaign, 1999